Insects and other pests have long plagued humankind. Over the years, various approaches have been taken to control pests and especially insects, and none have been completely satisfactory.
For example, the use of complex, organic insecticides, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,376,784 and 4,308,279, are expensive to produce, can be hazardous to man, domestic animals, and the environment, and frequently are effective only on certain groups of insects. Moreover, the target insects often build an immunity to the insecticide.
Another approach employs absorbent organic polymers for widespread dehydration of the insects. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,985,251; 4,983,390; 4,818,534; and 4,983,389. However, this approach is limited predominantly to aquatic environments, and it likewise relies on hazardous chemical insecticidal agents.
The marketplace is replete with toxic chemical insecticidal agents that are offensive to apply and, more importantly, pose a danger to humans and the environment.
It would be greatly advantageous to solve these problems with an insecticidal agent that works mechanically to kill pests, thereby eliminating the need for any toxic chemicals.